Counterbalanced stairway or ladder.



. R. 0. BELLES.

GOUNTERBALANGED STAIRWAY 0R LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED APB.13,1910.

972,595. Patented 0ct.11,1910.

WITN ESSES REUBEN O. BELLES, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COUNTEBBALANCED STAIRWAY OR LADDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN 0. Burns, of Pittsburg, county of Allegheny,and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement incounterbalanced Stairways or Ladders, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is aside view of a stairway embodying my invention, being shown in itslowered, position in full lines and in its raised position in dottedlines and also showing by dotted lines adjustments of the counterbalanceweight; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the stairway; Fig. 3 is asectional view showing one manner of attaching the weights; and Fig. atis a perspective View of one of the weights.

My invention has relation to counterbalanced stairways or ladders, suchas are usual in fire escapes, and is designed to provide a stairway orladder of this character, in which the counterweight is so arrangedandapplied that it will operate to hold the stairway or ladder in eitherits raised or lowered position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 indicates the sideor wall of the building having a fixed fire escape ladder or stairway 3,terminating at its lower end at a point some distance above the groundin the platform or landing 4. The lower section of the fire escapeladder or stairway is formed by the counterbalanced section 5, to whichmy invention relates. This lower section is shown as pivoted to thelanding or platform 4, at the point 6, the section being arranged toswing about this pivot as a center into the lowered position shown infull lines in Fig. 1, and also into the raised position shown in dottedlines in said figure.

Secured to the side rails of the pivoted ladder or stairway section 5and near their upper ends are counterbalance weights 7, having extendingfrom them counterbalance arms 8 to the outer end portions of which aresecured other counterbalance weights 9. The weights 7 and 9 may besecured in a variety of ways, so as to permit of the desired adjustment.In the drawing, I have shown each of these weights as provided with adiametrically extending groove or recess 10, having a projecting bottomrib 11, and double beveled side walls 12, said side walls ap-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1910.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 555,267.

proaching each other toward the center of the weight and divergingtoward each side thereof, as shown. The side rail of the pivotedstairway or ladder section seats within the recess 10, and is shown asbeing of channel form to engage the rib 11. The arm 8 passes behind thechannel, and is secured to the weight by bolts 13. By slacking thesebolts, it will be obvious that the weights 7 may be moved not onlybodily up or down on the channel, but may also be rocked thereon intoany desired adjustment within the limits shown by the dotted lines inFig. 1. The weight 9 may be made similar to the weight 7 and adjustablysecured on the arm 8 by the bolts 14. In this manner, I provide for avery easy and correct adjustment of the weights. These are so adjustedthat the pivoted section will balance when in a position intermediateits raised and lowered positions, such as the position indicated by thedotted line XX of Fig. l. \Vhen the section is lowered for use, thecounterweights are brought into such relation to the pivot 6, as to holdthe section in its lowered position and prevent its tilting upwardly. Onthe other hand, when the section is moved into its horizontal raisedposition, the weights are thrown suficiently back of the pivot 6 tosecurely hold it in this position.

By the arrangement shown, I provide simple and effectivecounterweighting means which will hold the stairway or ladder section ineither raised or lowered position, without the necessity for shifting oradjusting the counterweights, all that is required being a movement ofthe ladder or stairway section (5 from one position to the other.

lVhile in the drawings I have shown counterweights applied to both siderails of the ladder or stairway section, it will be obvious that asingle and heavier weight might be used, and may be connected to thesection in various ways. Various other means may be provided forobtaining a proper adjustment of the weight. The ladder or stairway may,in itself be of any usual or desired construction. The counterbalancingarrangement may be applied to other devices, such as furnace doors, etc.

I claim:

1. A pivoted ladder or stairway structure having a counterweighted-armsecured thereto above the pivotal axis of the structure and projectingforwardly at an oblique angle thereto, and a weight carried by said arm,

said weight being substantially vertically over the pivotal axis of thestructure when the latter is in its down position and shifted by themovement of the structure to a raised position to a position behind thepivotal axis, said weight and arm normally moving rigidly with thestructure; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pivoted ladder or stairway, of an upwardly andforwardly projecting counterweight arm secured to the ladder or stairwayabove its pivot, said arm and its counterweight normally moving rigidlywith the ladder or stairway, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a pivoted ladder or stairway, of an upwardly andforwardly projecting counterweight arm secured to the ladder or stairwayabove its pivot, and a counterweight adjustably mounted on said arm,said arm and counterweight normally moving rigidly with the ladder orstairway, substantially as described.

a. The combination with a pivotal stairway or ladder, of a counterweightsecured to the stairway or ladder above its pivot, and a forwardly andoutwardly extending counterweight arm also secured tothe stairway orladder above its pivot, said arm being normally rigid with respect tothe stairway or ladder, substantially as described.

The combination with a pivoted stairway or ladder, of a forwardly andoutwardly projecting counterweight arm secured to the ladder or stairwayabove its pivot, and means for securing an angular adjustment of thesaid arm to vary its counterweight action, substantially as described.

6. A pivoted element, and a counterweight connected to the upper portionof said element above its pivotal axis, said counterweight being securedto the element to move rigidly therewith, and also being connected tothe element through a distance arm, whereby the movement of the elementshifts the weight bodily from one side of a neutral line to the oppositeside thereof; substantially as described.

7. A pivoted structure having an extension beyond its pivotal axis, aweight mount ed on said extension, and a second weight also carried bysaid extension and in different relation to the pivotal axis, saidweights moving rigidly with the structure, and the second weight beingarranged to be shifted bodily by the movement of the structure from aposition over or in front of the pivotal axis of a structure to aposition be hind such axis; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

REUBEN O. BELLES.

lVitnesses R. A. BALDERSON, H. M. CoRwIN.

